Getaway Around Rim Country

The annual Summer Concert Series by the Payson parks department features a free program at 7 p.m. every Saturday from through July 28. The concerts are held in the amphitheater area of Green Valley Park where the audience can bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the show.

Scheduled to perform are Breaking Point with both jazz and country music, June 23; hometown favorites, Junction 87 with country music, June 30; more hometown music by the popular John Carpino and the Hot Cappuccinos, July 7; Big Daddy & The Dynamites, blues, July 14; Southern Flight Band with variety and rock music, July 21; and another popular local group, The John Scott Band with blues, July 28.

Rim Country Museum

The Rim Country Museum is participating in the Blue Star Museums program this summer with the American Association of Museums, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Blue Star Families Foundation in support of the Blue Star Museums program for 2012. Blue Star participants agree to offer free admission to active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day, providing an engaging, enlightening family outing to those Americans who most epitomize sacrifice. Additional information will follow on what identification will be needed for free admission to the museum.

A hike of Houston Trail to Flat Rock, two miles in length and moderately difficult, is scheduled for 8 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 11.

‘HAM’ Field Day

The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) has a nationwide “Field Day” event each summer. This event consists of members of amateur radio groups taking their equipment to “the field” and exercising their capabilities. One such group of “hams” is the local 4x4 Ham group and it will be operating a station on the Rim. Non-radio folks are invited to attend and learn about amateur “ham” radio.

Please join the 4x4 Ham group for ARRL Field Day June 22-24.

The Field Day objective is to work as many stations as possible on any and all amateur bands (excluding the 60, 30, 17, and 12-meter bands) and to learn to operate in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions.

The group will be providing all the radios, antennas, and other equipment needed. Those who have their own equipment are free to bring it. There will be many extra class control operators on site, so those who are interested in ham radio, but have no license yet, can join and operate. The group is also hosting a testing session Saturday at 9 a.m., so preregister for that if interested.

Throughout the weekend there will be radio tutorials and many learning opportunities. We plan to operate/demonstrate many modes including SSB, CW (Morse Code), APRS, PSK31, NTS radiogram traffic, satellite contacts, etc. All activities are family friendly, so bring them along.

For directions and all other information related to the 4x4 Ham Field Day site, go online to http://www.4x4ham.com/forumdisplay.php?54-4x4-Ham-Field-Day

Celebrating in Christopher Creek

In celebration of Independence Day Christopher Creek will hold its annual parade June 30. Participants will start to line up in front of Tall Pines Market at 12:30 p.m.., the parade will start at 1 p.m.

Landmark at the Creek will furnish ice cream for the kids at the conclusion of the parade along with a horseshoe tournament. Creekside Steakhouse will be passing out coupons for 10 percent off a meal plus one free dessert good through July 4.

For more information, contact the parade’s Grand Marshal John Mitchell at jmxroads@gmail.com.

Canoe, bikes to be raffled

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore, at the corner of Highways 260 and 87, is having a raffle for an 18-foot fiberglass canoe and a pair of Cruiser bikes.

A limited number of tickets will be sold. Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. To find out more, call (928) 474-4247.